Which Centre should get the Cycling Centre of Excellence?

Form the list of 7 (Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Hawke's Bay, Wanganui, Palmerston North and Christchurch) SPARC have reduced it to shortlist of 3 - Auckland, Palmerston North and Waikato/Bay of Plenty

I wouldn't give it to Palmy. Too many muppets here who do not give a flying rat's fuck about cyclists. We have a council that designs poor road layouts, construction companies that place traffic warning signs in cyclists lanes, drivers who are too lazy or blind to see or look for cyclists and a numb arse population of vodka cruiser/bourbon cola swilling red necks.

They only want the potential of the dollar it might bring.

Why bring quality cyclists here to get mown over when training on the road?

Set up costs are only about 10% of a sport facility - ~90% of costs are running the place (QUOTED, 2007), so that's not the issue at all.

Commercial stability will be what it boils down to and resources. North shore has a pretty impressive Millenium institute facility in the pipeline with connections to AUT and NZAS, would be easier to tap into network with resources. A shit arse place for MTB/ DH, but I reckon it's all about the 'Gold' olympic sports at moment.

Palmy and Waikato/ BOP have one huge advantage: they're not in Auckland and better all round access for different disciplines.

One thing in common is the Sport-focused universities...somewhere for the cyclists to study while not training along with other things?

I'd prefer commuting in Palmy over Auckland any day, never saw the bike paths in Aucks being swept of glass etc, and drivers in general are far more considerate down here, fingers crossed for the Centre of Excellence ending up in Palmy so I can go mtb'ing on my lunch break

OneKC wrote:I wouldn't give it to Palmy. Too many muppets here who do not give a flying rat's fuck about cyclists. We have a council that designs poor road layouts, construction companies that place traffic warning signs in cyclists lanes, drivers who are too lazy or blind to see or look for cyclists and a numb arse population of vodka cruiser/bourbon cola swilling red necks.

They only want the potential of the dollar it might bring.

Why bring quality cyclists here to get mown over when training on the road?

Palmy roads are abysmal. The council doesn't bother to clean them, and doesn't even bother to respond when you contact them with regards to dangerous roadworks. The treatment I have recieved in Palmy from other road users is far, far worse than in Wellington. Again, council doesn't really seem interested in doing anything about it.

It should (MUST) go to a centre that takes its existing cycling population seriously, Palmy just doesn't. I'm sad (and confused) to see HB miss out. I rode around Hastings/Napier/Havelock a lot in the last couple of weeks - the streets were nigh on spotless, great cycling lanes with big signs saying "THIS SPACE IS FOR CYCLISTS, FUCK OFF OTHERS" (or something to that effect), and didn't experience any problems with drivers at all.

To give some credit where it is due, the cycling facilities at Massey are great. Heaps of good bike racks, plenty under cover, and even secure bike storage available. Good bike lanes up there too, and safe (and CLEAN) bike lanes all the way to Fitzherbert. Once they get there, cycle lanes turn to bullshit.